Automatic turntable and bale forming press



Nov. 14, 1967 E. E. LALONDE ETAL 3,352,233

AUTOMATIC TURNTABLE AND BALE FORMING PRESS Filed May 16, 1966 United States Patent ware Filed May 16, 1966, Ser. No. 559,555 6 Claims. (Cl. 100215) ABSTRACT OF TEE DHSCLOSURE A baling press for forming bales of fibrous material wherein two or more bales are formed simultaneously and thereafter moved to a position where the bales are ejected simultaneously.

This invention relates generally to a press and more particularly to an automatic turntable baling press which can be used for the baling of paper pulp or the like.

In the paper-making industry, fibrous pulp is produced from a wood stock and thereafter the pulp is used in the manufacture of paper. Paper manufacturers who have the facilities to both manufacture pulp of a desired quality and thereafter use the pulp to manufacture paper are not concerned with the purchase of paper pulp. However, some paper manufacturers do not have the facilities to produce their own pulp and therefore must rely on outside sources for their supply of pulp. Therefore, the manufacturers and suppliers of fibrous pulp must package the pulp in such a manner as to facilitate handling and shipping thereof.

One such form of packaging is to compress the pulp into bales. This is accomplished by delivering the pulp to a suitable receptacle and compressing the pulp therein to form a compact high density bale. However, in an operation of this kind, time is lost due to the relatively long period of time required to load the receptacles. This increases the average time per bale to package a given quantity of pulp which, in turn, decreases the efficiency of such an operation.

It is therefore one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide new and improved means for the packaging of fibrous pulp.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which will press the fibrous pulp into bales which are more easily handled and shipped.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic turntable baling press which is capable of baling paper pulp economically and in a minimum of time.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pulp-baling press which is capable of baling more than one bale at a time.

A feature of the present invention is the use of a rotatable turntable having four receptacles in quadrate relation, two for simultaneously receiving and baling the pulp while already-formed bales are being ejected from the other two receptacles.

Another feature of the present invention is the use of a pair of pulp-delivery means and a pair of piston means associated with a first pair of diametrically opposed receptacles of the turntable and a pair of ejector means associated with a second pair of diametrically opposed receptacles of the turntable.

Briefly, the automatic turntable baling press of the present invention has four receptacles for receiving fibrous material to be baled. The receptacles are secured in quadrate relation to a horizontally-positioned, circumferential, rotatable plate. Apertures having the same peripheral configuration as the side walls of the receptacles are provided in the plate so that fibrous material can be delivered through the apertures and into the receptacles. A pair of loading chutes are positioned over the circumferential plate to deliver fibrous material to a pair of diametrically opposed receptacles. Hydraulic piston means are positioned over the loading chutes and selectively extendable through the loading chutes and into the receptacles in alignment therewith for compressing the fibrous pulp within the receptacles to form bales. After the fibrous material has been compressed to the desired volume and density, sensing means associated with the compressing pistons will deliver a signal to an indexing and rotating device of the apparatus to cause the circumferential plate and receptacles, referred to as the turntable, to rotate about its axis. This action causes the other pair of diametrically opposed receptacles to be in alignment with the loading chutes for receiving fibrous material to be compressed into bales. While the second pair of receptacles is being loaded, the bales which have been formed in the first pair of receptacles are lifted vertically to the surface of the circumferential plate by suitable hydraulic means and when the bottom surface of the bales is in alignment with the upper surface of the circumferential plate, the bales are pushed laterally by hydraulic piston means, thereby ejecting the bales from the turntable.

The turntable may be shifted axially so that the upper surface of the circumferential plate is in abutting relation with the loading chute during forming and ejecting of the bales, but spaced from the loading chute during the rotating and indexing operation of the turntable.

This invention, however, will be more fully realized and understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction With the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals throughout the various views of the drawing are intended to designate similar elements or components and wherein:

FIGURE 1 shows a somewhat diagrammatic top plan view of the automatic turntable baling press of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational sectional view taken along the line II-II of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is an elevational sectional view taken along the line IIIIII of FIGURE 1.

On the drawings:

As seen in FIGURE 1, the upper portion of a turntable llii is constructed of a circumferential plate 11 which rotates about an axis 12 when the turntable 10 is indexed to a new position. A plurality of square apertures 13, 14, 15 and 16 are provided in the circumferential plate 11 for passing pulp to receptacles associated with the apertures where the pulp is compressed into bales. By way of example, apertures 13 and 15 may designate work stations A and B to which the fibrous material is delivered, and apertures 14 and 16 may define work stations C and D where the finished bale is ejected from the turntable.

As seen in FIGURE 2, a pair of receptacles 19 and 29 are secured to the lower surface of the circumferential plate 11 in alignment with the apertures 13 and 15 respectively for receiving fibrous material. The receptacles 19 and 20 are provided with movable bottom floors 21 and 22, respectively. Suspended over the circumferential plate 11 is a pair of loading chutes 23 and 24 which have their bottom portions in alignment with the apertures 13 and 15, respectively. Fibrous material is fed to the loading chutes Z3 and 24 by a pair of feeding nozzles 26 and 27.

During the feeding operation of the automatic turntable baling press of the present invention, fibrous material is fed simultaneously to the receptacles 19 and 20. After a predetermined amount of fibrous material has been delivered to the receptacles 19 and 20, suitable shutoff means are actuated to stop feeding of the fibrous material from the nozzles 26 and 27.

A pair of hydraulic cylinders 28 and 29. are positioned above the loading chutes 23 and 24, respectively. Connected to the hydraulic cylinder 28 is a piston 30 which is selectively extendible through the aperture 13 and into the receptacle 29 for tamping and compressing the fibrous material therein. Similarly, a piston 31 is connected to the hydraulic cylinder 29 and selectively extendable through the aperture 15 and into the receptable for tamping and compressing the fibrous material therein. By way of example, fibrous material may be delivered to the receptacles 19 and 20 for a relatively short duration, after which time the flow of material from the nozzles 26 and 27 ceases and the pistons 30 and 31 are extended into the receptacles for tamping the fibrous material therein. After the fibrous material has been suitably tamped, the nozzles 26 and 27 again feed fibrous material into the receptacles. The operation of alternately feeding and tamping the fibrous material can be performed any number of times as desired.

During the feeding and tamping operation, the bottom surfaces of the receptacles 19 and 20 are supported by hydraulic cylinders 32 and 33 and their associated pistons 34 and 35, respectively. Also, hydraulic cylinders 32 and 33' and the pistons 34 and 35 serve to support the receptacles 19 and. 20 during the compressing of the pulp to prevent canting of the turntable 10 about the axis 12.

A drive motor 37 is connected to the circumferential plate 11 through an indexing and shifting device 38 and a shaft 39. A volumeand density-sensing device 40, which may be similar to that disclosed by Merkel in Patent No. 3,252,409 issued May 24, 1966 or Pease in Patent No. 2,764,932 issued Oct. 2, 1956, is connected to the hydraulic cylinders 28 and 29 for sensing the volume and density of fibrous material delivered to the receptacles 19 and 20. After the desired volume has been delivered to receptacles 19 and 20, the sensing device 40 deliversa suitable signal to the hydraulic cylinders 28 and 29 for final compressing of the fibrous material Within the receptacles to form bales. The compressing action of the hydraulic cylinders 28 and 29 continues until the desired density is reached. The bales which are formed by the apparatus of the present invention are of relatively low density of approximately thirty pounds per cubic foot.

After the fibrous material has been compressed into bales of the desired volume and density, the sensing device 40 delivers a control signal to the indexing and shifting device 38 which causes the circumferential. plate 11 of the turntable 10 to shift downwardly and become disengaged from the bottom surface of the loading chutes 23. and 24 and rotate the turntable 10 about its axis through an angle of 90. This action Will cause the apertures 14 and 16 to become aligned with the loading chutes 23 and 24, respectively, and place an empty pair of receptacles in alignment therewith for receiving fibrous material. When the turntable 10 is properly indexed into position, the device 38, together with the hydraulic cylinders 32 and 33, will urge the top surface of the circumferential plate 11 in abutting relation with the bottom of the loading chutes 23 and 24.

As seen in FIGURE 3, a pair of receptacles 41 and 42 which, for the purpose of explanation, have had bales previously formed therein, are in alignment with a pair of hydraulic cylinders 43 and 44, respectively. A pair of pistons and 46 are secured to the hydraulic cylinders 43 and 44 and are dimensioned so as to fit through a pair of apertures 41' and 42' of the receptacles 41 and 42. Therefore, the pistons 45 and 46 will engage the movable bottom floors 21' and 22 within the receptacles 41 and 42 and lift the bales, indicated by reference numerals 47 and 48, to the surface of the circumferential plate 11. After the bales 47 and 48 have been lifted to the surface of the circumferential plate 11, an ejection cylinder 49 is actuated and a pair of pistons 50 and 51 engage the sides of the bales 47 and 48, respectively, to push the bales from the surface of the circumferential plate 11. After the Cir bales have been pushed clear of the circumferential plate 11, the lifting pistons 45 and 46 within the receptacles 41 and 42 are retracted and the movable bottom floors 21' and 22 are again positioned at the bottom of their respective receptacles.

An operating floor 52 may be positioned a predetermined distance beneath the surface of the circumferential plate 11 to facilitate the unloading of the turntable 10. By way of example, the distance between the operating floor 52 and the circumferential plate 11 may be suitable to accommodate a loading truck or other conveying apparatus as desired.

An alternate arrangement of the ejecting cylinder is shown in FIGURE 1 and indicated by broken lines. A pair of ejecting cylinders 54 and 55 may be secured above the circumferential plate 11 and have pistons 56 and 57, respectively, selectively extendable parallel to one another and to the circumferential plate 11 to move the finished bales in the direction indicated by the arrows. This arrangement will facilitate the loading of two trucks simultaneously.

Thedetailed construction of the automatic turntable baling press of the present invention is shown in our copen-ding application Ser. No. 490,414, filed Sept. 27, 1965, now Patent No. 3,334,578 which issued Aug. 8, 1967. However, the baling press shown in our aforementioned copending application shows only one loading chute and it will be understood that the loading chutes r 23 and 24 of the present invention may be constructed in substantially the same manner.

Therefore, the automatic turntable baling press of the present invention provides a turntable which has four receptacles in quadrate relation and selectively rotatable about a common axis. A pair of loading chutes are positioned over diametrically opposed receptacles for loading two receptacles simultaneously and compressing the fibrous material therein to form bales. The sensing device 40 senses the volume and density of the bales formed and delivers a control signal to the indexing and shifting device 38 to rotate the turntable 10 about the axis 12. This action will bring the other pair of diametrically opposed receptacles in alignment with the loading chutes, and feeding and tamping of fibrous material will commence. During the feeding and tamping of fibrous material within the newly positioned receptacles, the previously formed bales within the alternate set of receptacles are lifted from the receptacles by the pistons 45 and 46, and the bales are ejected from the surface of the circumferential plate 11 by the pistons '50 and 51.

By providing means for simultaneously loading a pair of receptacles with fibrous material and thereafter simultaneously compressing the material into bales, the present invention has the advantage of reducing the average time required to form bales when using a single baling press.

It will be understood that variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of this invention.

We claim as our invention:

1. A baling press arrangement for forming bales of fibrous material comprising:

a turntable mounted for rotation about an axis, said turntable having a plurality of openings therein radially outwardly of said axis;

a plurality of receptacles, each of said receptacles secured to said turntable in alignment with a corresponding one of said openings;

a pair, of delivery means positioned adjacent said turntable opposite a first group of said receptacles for delivering pulp to said first group of said receptacles;

a first pair of piston means each selectively extendable through respective ones of said delivery means and into said first group of said receptacles for compressing the pulp therein to form bales;

drive means connected to said turntable for rotating and indexing said turntable to position a second group of said receptacles in alignment with said delivery means; and

a pair of ejection means for ejecting the bales from said first group of said receptacles.

2. The baling press of claim 1, wherein said drive means includes means for axially shifting said turntable into abutting relation with said delivery means while the bales are being formed, and for positioning the upper surface of said turntable slightly away from said delivery means while the turntable is rotated to its next position.

3. The baling press of claim 1, wherein said turntable has four openings therein in quadrate relation thereby defining first and second pairs of diametrically opposed receptacles, said first pair of receptacles selectively positioned in alignment with said delivery means while said second pair of receptacles is positioned in alignment with said ejection means.

4. The baling press of claim 3, wherein said ejection means includes a second pair of piston means selectively extendible through said receptacles in a direction opposite to said first pair of piston means to move the formed bales to the surface of said turntable when said receptacles are in the ejecting position, whereupon the bales are pushed from said turntable by said ejection means.

5. The baling press of claim 3, wherein said delivery means is in alignment with said first pair of diametrically opposed receptacles and said ejection means includes a pair of piston means selectively extendible in opposite directions perpendicular to said second pair of diametrically opposed receptacles to push the bales from the surface of said turntable.

6. The baling press of claim 3, wherein said delivery means is in alignment with said first pair of diametrically opposed receptacles, and said ejection means includes a pair of piston means selectively extendible in a direction parallel to one another and perpendicular to said second pair of diametrically opposed receptacles to push the bales from the surface of the said turntable.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 601,138 3/1898 Hall.

680,164 8/1901 Munger -223 X 737,425 8/ 1903 Laernoes et al. 100-218 1,033,089 7/1912 Dunn 100-223 X 1,093,526 4/1914 Boddie 100-223 X 1,154,655 9/1915 Richardson 100-223 1,327,472 1/1920 Henry 100-223 X 2,764,932 10/1956 Pease 100-50 2,963,959 12/1960 Van Doom et al. 100-223 X 3,040,882 6/ 1962 Van Beckum et al.

FOREIGN PATENTS 909,189 10/ 1962 Great Britain.

998,395 7/ 1965 Great Britain.

138,490 10/ 1961 Russia.

BILLY J. WILHITE, Primary Examiner. 

1. A BALING PRESS ARRANGEMENT FOR FORMING BALES OF FIBROUS MATERIAL COMPRISING: A TURNTABLE MOUNTED FOR ROTATION ABOUT AN AXIS, SAID TURNTABLE HAVING A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS THEREIN RADIALLY OUTWARDLY OF SAID AXIS; A PLURALTY OF RECEPTACLES, EACH OF SAID RECEPTACLES SECURED TO SAID TURNTABLE IN ALIGNMENT WITH A CORRESPONDING ONE OF SAID OPENINGS; A PAIR OF DELIVERY MEANS POSITIONED ADJACENT SAID TURNTABLE OPPOSITE A FIRST GROUP OF SAID RECEPTACLES FOR DELIVERING PULP TO SAID FIRST GROUP OF SAID RECEPTACLES; A FIRST PAIR OF PISTON MEANS EACH SELECTIVELY EXTENDABLE THROUGH RESPECTIVE ONES OF SAID DELIVERY MEANS AND INTO SAID FIRST GROUP OF SAID RECEPTACLES FOR COMPRESSING THE PULP THEREIN TO FORM BALES; 